Great pics Paul! I had a similar experience during our GAFFE trip to the Everglades. A pod of 4-5 dolphins was busting bait at Sebastian Inlet on the Atlantic Coast, and I was able to sneak right into the middle of them with the Sport and Mirage Drive where I just sat and tried to get some pics. Problem is, I was so close (6-10 feet away) that between the time I framed the pic and the time I shot, the action was just about over!

Coming up on the pod using only the Mirage Drive:

Oops-a little too close:

About 6 feet away-they were so busy getting after the bait, they pretty much ignored me during most of the action. Note the hull of the Sport at lower right.

Right in the middle of the action-Sport gunwale at lower right. Several times an adult became completely airborne about 2 feet above the surface, but I could never catch one in mid-air.

Nice pictures. It's always a treat to encounter dolphins or whales. Getting good photos of them is tough though.

In my case I am lucky to have a high quality camera on the water - a Canon Digital Rebel XT. Like a film camera, it is ready to shoot the moment you flip the power switch. It'll shoot around 27 consecutive images something like 3 or 4 frames per second. That means I can focus where I think the dolphins will emerge and then just hold down the shutter. I could never afford the 100+ wasted shots I'd have gotten with a film camera!

Yep PAL,
I figured it was somethiing like that you were using. On my little Sony DSC-T1, there is no rangefinder--you have to do all your composition and shooting via the 2 inch screen on the rear of the camera. However, it does have a fairly high res video as well, but I would need a lot more memory for that! Anyway, thanks again for your great shots--it may be time for me to upgrade Best,
Dick